New For the Strength of Youth book

Young Men general president David L. Beck emphasized the value of this resource for youth, parents, and leaders as they strive to live faithfully.

“It is our hope that these standards will be thoroughly studied in our homes and in Church classes, and that the principles taught in them will go down into the hearts of the youth of the Church,” he said.

Happiness Comes From...

“Happiness comes from living the way the Lord wants you to live.”

President Thomas S. Monson, “Preparation Brings Blessings,” Liahona and Ensign, May 2010, 67.

Peace in forgiveness

Peace in Forgiveness

“You may be carrying a heavy burden of feeling injured by another who has seriously offended you. Your response to that offense may have distorted your understanding so that you feel justified in waiting for that individual to ask forgiveness so that the pain can leave. The Savior dispelled any such thought when He commanded:

“‘Wherefore, I say unto you, that ye ought to forgive one another; for he that forgiveth not his brother his trespasses standeth condemned before the Lord; for there remaineth in him the greater sin.

“‘I, the Lord, will forgive whom I will forgive, but of you it is required to forgive all men’ (D&C 64:9–10).

“Don’t carry the burden of offense any longer. Genuinely ask forgiveness of one that has offended you, even when you consider you have done no wrong. That effort will assuredly bring you peace and will likely begin the healing of serious misunderstandings.”

Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, “To Be Free of Heavy Burdens,” Liahona and Ensign, Nov. 2002, 88.

Let the Holy Spirit Guide

By Elder Ronald A. Rasband

Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

We have the sacred responsibility to learn to recognize His influence in our lives and respond.

The Spirit speaks words that we feel. These feelings are gentle, a nudge to act, to do something, to say something, to respond in a certain way. If we are casual or complacent in our worship, drawn off and desensitized by worldly pursuits, we find ourselves diminished in our ability to feel. 

And so must we. We must be confident in our first promptings. Sometimes we rationalize; we wonder if we are feeling a spiritual impression or if it is just our own thoughts. When we begin to second-guess, even third-guess, our feelings—and we all have—we are dismissing the Spirit; we are questioning divine counsel. The Prophet Joseph Smith taught that if you will listen to the first promptings, you will get it right nine times out of ten.

First promptings are pure inspiration from heaven. When they confirm or testify to us, we need to recognize them for what they are and never let them slip past. So often, it is the Spirit inspiring us to reach out to someone in need, family and friends in particular.

If we let the Lord know in our morning prayers that we are ready, He will call on us to respond. If we respond, He will call on us time and time again and we will find ourselves on what President Monson calls “the Lord’s errand.”

If we pay attention to the promptings that come to us, we will grow in the spirit of revelation and receive more and more Spirit-driven insight and direction.

Bishops and the Aaronic Priesthood

Prepare the Way

By Bishop Gérald Caussé

Presiding Bishop

...holders of the Melchizedek Priesthood, you can follow the Savior’s example by turning to your brothers who hold the lesser priesthood and inviting them to labor with you. 

My dear bishops, you have, included in your ordination and setting apart as bishop of your ward, the sacred calling to serve as president of the Aaronic Priesthood and of the priests quorum. I am aware of the heavy burdens you carry, but you should make your duty toward these young men one of your highest priorities. You cannot neglect it or delegate your role in this responsibility to others.

Too often we try to entertain our young men and relegate them to a spectator role, when their faith and love for the gospel can be best developed by magnifying their priesthood. By actively participating in the work of salvation, they will be connected with heaven and they will gain awareness of their divine potential.

Kindness, Charity, and Love

By President Thomas S. Monson

Brethren, we do not honor the priesthood of God if we are not kind to others.

“Kindness is the essence of a celestial life. Kindness is how a Christlike person treats others. Kindness should permeate all of our words and actions at work, at school, at church, and especially in our homes.

The Most Important Calling

The Greatest among You

By President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Second Counselor in the First Presidency

In God's kingdom, greatness and leadership means seeing others as they truly are - as God sees them - and then reaching out and ministering to them. It means rejoicing with those who are happy, weeping with those who grieve, lifting up those in distress, and loving our neighbor as Christ loves us. 

To be effective Church leaders, we must learn this critical lesson: leadership in the Church is not so much about directing others as it is about our willingness to be directed by God.

 If we approach our callings as opportunities to serve God and minister to others with faith and humility, every act of service will be a step on the path of discipleship. 

We accept callings with grace, humility, and gratitude. When we are released from these callings, we accept the change with the same grace, humility, and gratitude.

In the eyes of God, there is no calling in the kingdom that is more important than another. 

Each time we give of ourselves to others, we take a step closer to becoming good and true disciples of the One who gave His all for us: our Savior.

There is nothing wrong with wanting to serve the Lord, but when we seek to gain influence in the Church for our own sake-in order to receive the praise and admiration of men-we have our reward. When we "inhale" the praise of others, that praise will be our compensation.

What is the most important calling in the Church? It is the one you currently have. 

Called to the Work

By Elder David A. Bednar

Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

In the culture of the Church, we often talk of being called to serve in a country such as Argentina, Poland, Korea, or the United States. But a missionary is not called to a place; rather, he or she is called to serve. 

Three interrelated words define a pattern of preparation and progression for sons of God: priesthood, temple, mission.Sometimes as parents, friends, and Church members, we focus so extensively upon missionary preparation for young men that we may neglect to a degree the other vital steps along the covenant pathway that must be fulfilled before beginning full-time missionary service. 

You need not and should not wait for your official call to become anxiously engaged in missionary work.

Goal Setting to Return and Recieve

Return and Receive

By Elder M. Russell Ballard

Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Over the years, I have observed that those who accomplish the most in this world are those with a vision for their lives, with goals to keep them focused on their vision and tactical plans for how to achieve them. Knowing where you are going and how you expect to get there can bring meaning, purpose, and accomplishment to life.

Goal setting is essentially beginning with the end in mind. And planning is devising a way to get to that end. A key to happiness lies in understanding what destinations truly matter—and then spending our time, effort, and attention on the things that constitute a sure way to arrive there.

Wise goal setting includes the understanding that short-term goals are only effective if they lead to clearly understood longer-term goals. 

It is good to have goals and plans for our careers, for our education, even for our golf game. It is also important to have goals for our marriages, our families, and our Church councils and callings; this is especially true for missionaries. But our greatest and most overriding goals should fit into Heavenly Father’s eternal plan.

Experts on goal setting tell us that the simpler and more straightforward a goal is, the more power it will have. When we can reduce a goal to one clear image or one or two powerful and symbolic words, that goal can then become part of us and guide virtually everything we think and do.

I have found that to stay focused on returning and receiving the promised blessings, I need to regularly take time to ask myself, “How am I doing?”

It’s kind of like having a personal, private interview with yourself. And if that sounds unusual, think about it: who in this world knows you better than you know yourself? You know your thoughts, your private actions, your desires, and your dreams, goals, and plans. And you know better than anyone how you are progressing along the road to returning and receiving.

As we increase our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ’s power to give rest unto our souls by forgiving sins, redeeming imperfect relationships, healing the spiritual wounds that stifle growth, and strengthening and enabling us to develop the attributes of Christ, we will more deeply appreciate the magnitude of the Atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ.

We must keep the doctrine and gospel of Jesus Christ at the center of our goals and plans. Without Him, no eternal goal is possible, and our plans to achieve our eternal goals will surely fail.

Prayerfully reading “The Living Christ” is like reading the testimonies of Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and the prophets of the Book of Mormon. It will increase your faith in the Savior and help you stay focused on Him as you follow your plans to reach your eternal goals.

Gathering the Family of God

By President Henry B. Eyring

First Counselor in the First Presidency

as you follow the promptings to learn about your family history, you may discover that a distant relative shares some of your facial features or your interest in books or your talent for singing. This could be very interesting and even insightful. But if your work stops there, you will sense that something is missing. This is because to gather and unite God’s family requires more than just warm feelings. It requires sacred covenants made in connection with priesthood ordinances.

Just a few weeks ago, I was working on my family history with a consultant by my side and another helper on the phone. On the computer screen before me was a problem beyond my mortal power to solve. I saw two names, sent to me by the wonders of technology, of people who might be waiting for a temple ordinance. But the trouble was that the names were different, but there was a reason to believe they might be the same person. My task was to determine what was true.

I asked my consultants to tell me. They said, “No, you must choose.” And they were completely sure I would discover the truth. The computer, with all its power and information, had left me the blessing of staring at those names on a screen, evaluating the available information, seeking other research, praying silently, and discovering what was true. As I prayed, I knew with surety what to do—just as I have in other situations when I needed to rely on heaven’s help to solve a problem.

Becoming a Disciple of Jesus Christ

Becoming a Disciple of Our Lord Jesus Christ

By Elder Robert D. Hales

Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Disciples live so that the characteristics of Christ are woven into the fiber of their beings, as into a spiritual tapestry.

From temperance to patience and from patience to godliness, our natures change. We gain the brotherly kindness that is a hallmark of all true disciples. Like the Good Samaritan, we cross the road to minister to whoever is in need, even if they are not within the circle of our friends.19 We bless them that curse us. We do good to those who despitefully use us.20 Is any attribute more godly or Christlike?

There will be no disparity between the kindness we show our enemies and the kindness we bestow on our friends. We will be as honest when no one is looking as when others are watching. We will be as devoted to God in the public square as we are in our private closet.

Teaching the Proclamation to Children Part 6

This Month’s Selection

“The first commandment that God gave to Adam and Eve pertained to their potential for parenthood as husband and wife. We declare that God’s commandment for His children to multiply and replenish the earth remains in force.”

How to Explain This to Children

Adam was the first man on earth, and Eve was the first woman on earth. They were husband and wife. God told Adam and Eve to start a family. Today, Heavenly Father still wants men and women to get married and have families.

Activity Idea

Make a family paper-doll chain. Take a piece of paper and cut it in half lengthwise. Fold one of the half pieces accordion style into four sections. Draw a figure of a person on the top layer (you can use the template below if you’d like). Cut the figure out, being careful not to cut the ends of the arms, which will connect the figures together. After you unfold the chain, write something you love about your family on each of the figures (you may need to tape together several paper chains!). You could also write words that describe the kind of family you hope to have one day.

From July 2017 Ensign